Hey adventurers! In New World, choosing the right weapons for Player versus Environment (PvE) combat can significantly enhance your gameplay, making those tough battles against corrupted creatures and ancient guardians much more manageable. With the game constantly evolving through updates and balance changes, it's crucial to stay informed about which weapons are currently dominating the PvE scene. So, let's dive into the best PvE weapons New World has to offer in 2024, helping you optimize your builds and conquer Aeternum.

Understanding the PvE Meta in New World

Before we jump into specific weapon recommendations, it's important to understand what makes a weapon great for PvE in New World. A top-tier PvE weapon typically excels in several key areas:

• High and consistent damage output: The ability to deal significant damage to enemies, especially bosses, is paramount. Weapons with strong base damage, scaling, and effective damage types against common enemy types are highly valued.
• Sustain and survivability: PvE encounters can be lengthy and demanding, so weapons that offer self-healing, defensive buffs, or crowd control are incredibly useful. This allows you to stay alive longer and contribute more to the group.
• Area of Effect (AoE) capabilities: Many PvE scenarios involve fighting groups of enemies, so weapons with strong AoE attacks can clear waves of mobs quickly and efficiently.
• Utility and support: Weapons that provide buffs to allies, debuffs to enemies, or other forms of utility can significantly enhance the overall effectiveness of your team.

Keeping these factors in mind, let's explore some of the best weapon choices for PvE in New World right now. We'll break down each weapon's strengths, weaknesses, and ideal playstyles to help you find the perfect fit for your character.

Top PvE Weapons in New World (2024)

1. Great Axe

The Great Axe remains a dominant force in New World PvE due to its exceptional damage output and AoE capabilities. Its primary strengths lie in its ability to deal massive damage to groups of enemies, making it ideal for clearing out packs of corrupted and other PvE threats. The Great Axe's skill tree offers a variety of options for both damage and crowd control, allowing you to customize your build to suit your playstyle.

One of the key reasons the Great Axe is so effective in PvE is its Whirlwind ability, which allows you to spin and deal damage to all enemies within a certain radius. This is especially useful for dealing with tightly packed groups of mobs. Additionally, the Gravity Well ability is a game-changer, pulling enemies into a central location and making them easy targets for AoE attacks. These skills, combined with the Great Axe's inherent damage scaling, make it a top-tier choice for PvE engagements.

For optimal PvE performance, focus on skills like Whirlwind, Gravity Well, and Reap. These abilities provide a good balance of damage and crowd control, allowing you to deal with a variety of enemy types. Gear-wise, prioritize strength and constitution to maximize your damage output and survivability. Gems that increase your damage against specific enemy types, such as corrupted or ancient creatures, can also be highly effective.

While the Great Axe excels at dealing damage, it does have some weaknesses. It lacks mobility compared to some other weapons, and its single-target damage can be somewhat lacking. However, these weaknesses are generally offset by its exceptional AoE capabilities and overall damage output. If you're looking for a weapon that can clear waves of enemies quickly and efficiently, the Great Axe is an excellent choice.

2. War Hammer

The War Hammer is another top-tier PvE weapon in New World, known for its incredible crowd control and decent damage output. While it may not deal as much raw damage as the Great Axe, the War Hammer's ability to stun, knock down, and stagger enemies makes it an invaluable asset in group PvE content. Its skill tree is packed with abilities that can disrupt enemy attacks and keep them from overwhelming your team.

One of the key advantages of the War Hammer is its Shockwave ability, which creates a powerful AoE stun that can interrupt enemy attacks and buy your team valuable time. Additionally, the Armor Breaker ability can significantly reduce enemy armor, making them more vulnerable to damage. These skills, combined with the War Hammer's inherent crowd control capabilities, make it a formidable weapon in PvE.

For optimal PvE performance, focus on skills like Shockwave, Armor Breaker, and Wrecking Ball. These abilities provide a good balance of crowd control and damage, allowing you to disrupt enemy attacks and weaken them for your team. Gear-wise, prioritize strength and constitution to maximize your damage output and survivability. Gems that increase your damage against specific enemy types or provide additional crowd control effects can also be highly effective.

The War Hammer's main weakness is its relatively slow attack speed, which can make it difficult to deal consistent damage to fast-moving enemies. However, its exceptional crowd control abilities more than make up for this drawback. If you're looking for a weapon that can keep enemies at bay and protect your team, the War Hammer is an excellent choice.

3. Hatchet

The Hatchet has solidified its place as a top-tier PvE weapon in New World due to its high single-target damage and self-sustain capabilities. With the Berserk skill tree, the Hatchet allows players to enter a frenzy, boosting their damage output and movement speed while also providing self-healing. This makes the Hatchet an excellent choice for solo PvE content and for players who prefer a more aggressive playstyle.

The Hatchet's key strength lies in its Berserk ability, which grants a significant damage boost and increased movement speed. Additionally, the Feral Rush ability allows you to quickly close the distance to enemies and deal significant damage. These skills, combined with the Hatchet's fast attack speed, make it a deadly weapon in PvE.

For optimal PvE performance, focus on skills like Berserk, Feral Rush, and Social Distancing. These abilities provide a good balance of damage, mobility, and self-healing, allowing you to take on a variety of PvE challenges. Gear-wise, prioritize strength and dexterity to maximize your damage output and critical hit chance. Gems that increase your damage against specific enemy types or provide additional self-healing can also be highly effective.

While the Hatchet excels at single-target damage and self-sustain, it lacks the AoE capabilities of the Great Axe and War Hammer. However, its high damage output and mobility make it a formidable weapon in the right hands. If you're looking for a weapon that can deal massive damage to single targets and keep you alive in the process, the Hatchet is an excellent choice.

4. Void Gauntlet

The Void Gauntlet is a versatile weapon that offers a unique blend of damage, healing, and support, making it a valuable asset in PvE. Its skill trees allow players to focus on either dealing damage with void magic or providing healing and support to their team. This versatility makes the Void Gauntlet a popular choice for both solo and group PvE content.

The Void Gauntlet's key abilities include Oblivion, which creates a zone that buffs allies and debuffs enemies, and Essence Rupture, which applies a healing debuff to enemies. These skills, combined with the Void Gauntlet's ability to heal allies, make it a powerful support weapon in PvE.

For optimal PvE performance, focus on skills that enhance your damage output and support capabilities. Gear-wise, prioritize intelligence and focus to maximize your damage and healing output. Gems that increase your damage against specific enemy types or provide additional healing can also be highly effective.

While the Void Gauntlet may not deal as much raw damage as some other weapons, its versatility and support capabilities make it a valuable asset in PvE. If you're looking for a weapon that can both deal damage and support your team, the Void Gauntlet is an excellent choice.

5. Blunderbuss

The Blunderbuss is a ranged weapon that excels at dealing burst damage and controlling groups of enemies. Its skill trees offer a variety of options for both damage and crowd control, making it a versatile choice for PvE. The Blunderbuss is particularly effective at dealing with enemies at close to medium range, making it a great option for players who prefer to stay mobile and control the battlefield.

The Blunderbuss's key abilities include Net Shot, which immobilizes enemies, and Mortar Charge, which deals massive AoE damage. These skills, combined with the Blunderbuss's high burst damage potential, make it a formidable weapon in PvE.

For optimal PvE performance, focus on skills that enhance your damage output and crowd control capabilities. Gear-wise, prioritize strength and dexterity to maximize your damage. Gems that increase your damage against specific enemy types or provide additional crowd control effects can also be highly effective.

While the Blunderbuss may not be as effective at long range as some other ranged weapons, its burst damage and crowd control capabilities make it a valuable asset in PvE. If you're looking for a weapon that can deal massive damage at close to medium range and control groups of enemies, the Blunderbuss is an excellent choice.

Honorable Mentions

While the weapons listed above are currently the top performers in New World PvE, there are several other weapons that can be effective in the right hands. These include:

• Spear: Offers good damage and crowd control, with abilities that can weaken and stagger enemies.
• Sword and Shield: Provides excellent survivability and utility, with abilities that can block attacks and buff allies.
• Bow: A ranged weapon that offers consistent damage output, with abilities that can deal damage over time and cripple enemies.
• Musket: A long-range weapon that excels at dealing single-target damage, with abilities that can weaken and slow enemies.
• Life Staff: The primary healing weapon in New World, essential for group PvE content.

Final Thoughts

Choosing the right weapon for PvE in New World can significantly impact your gameplay experience. While the weapons listed above are currently the top performers, it's important to experiment and find a weapon that suits your playstyle and preferences. Remember to consider the strengths and weaknesses of each weapon, and to optimize your build for the specific PvE content you're tackling. With the right weapon and build, you'll be well-equipped to conquer Aeternum's challenges and emerge victorious in your PvE endeavors. Good luck, and have fun exploring the world of New World!